Gymnastic machine

ABSTRACT

Gymnastic machine ( 1 ) includes a frame ( 10 ), a slide ( 20 ) carried movable by the frame ( 10 ) along a given direction (D) from and to a starting station ( 30 ), with the slide ( 20 ) being suitable for coupling with a first limb in such a way as to guide it along the given direction (D) and to enable, in use, to control a scissor movement of the first limb with respect to a second limb retained at the starting station ( 30 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gymnastic machine. In particular, thepresent invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with a supportmovable along a given direction from and to a starting station in orderto perform muscle stretching exercises. In more detail, the presentinvention relates to a gymnastic machine for muscle stretching providedwith a support movable along a given direction from and to a startingstation in order to perform alternating movements. The present inventionalso relates to a method of using the gymnastic machine for musclestretching.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is well known that in the field of gymnastic machines for muscularactivities of various kinds, the machines dedicated to muscle stretchingare a narrow minority. This fact is mainly justified by the criticalnature of stretching exercises, which are only apparently simple, but infact are particularly insidious if executed by an inexperienced athletewithout a supervising trainer, given the high quantity of degrees offreedom left to the athlete while executing such exercises. Therefore,the market for said machines is very limited, because the presence of atrainer could place every athlete, even if inexperienced, in thecondition of executing effective stretching exercises also free style,or through the simple availability of a wall or of a tree, if outdoors,or of a wall bar, if in a gym. On the other hand, relying on a trainerrequires being tied down to a schedule that does not always suit theathlete's needs, and bearing the related costs, which increase inproportion to the number of training sessions. This is likely to beparticularly costly for those who suffer from backache.

To overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, the applicant has recentlyfiled the invention Patent Application No. RA2006A000009 whereinteachings are provided to construct preferably but without limitation agymnastic machine usable for performing stretching exercises for theposterior kinetic chain, and particularly for the glutei, the piriformismuscle, the rachis, the ischiocrural muscle and the femoral bicipitalmuscle, and therefore for the lumbar musculature too, in order toprevent backache. According to a preferred embodiment of said machine,the user may employ a slide movable along a longitudinal guide tocontrol the rotating movement of a support with respect to the slide.With the back and the glutei bearing on the slide and the lower limbs onthe support, the relative movement of the support induces the lowerlimbs to rotate with respect to the back and thus produces a stretchingof the lumbar muscles.

Though it is particularly safe and very easy-to-use, such gymnasticmachine does not allow to stretch the ileopsoas muscle, or hip flexormuscle, and consequently to prevent the compression of the lumbarvertebrae due to contraction of the muscles in the anterior kineticchain. As a result, people wishing to train/stretch said kinematic chaincurrently cannot use a gymnastic machine and must necessarily resort tothe aid of a trainer, with the above-mentioned drawbacks this entails.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is a gymnastic machine for musclestretching that allows the disadvantages described above to be solved,and which is suitable to satisfy a plurality of requirements that todate have still not been addressed, and therefore, suitable to representa new and original source of economic interest and capable of modifyingthe current market of gymnastic machines for muscle stretching.

This and other objects of the present invention, which will becomeapparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a gymnastic machine formuscle stretching that includes a frame, a slide carried movable by theframe along a given direction from and to a starting station, and thatis characterised in that the slide is suitable for coupling with a firstlimb in such a way as to guide it along the given direction and toenable, in use, to control a scissor movement of the first limb withrespect to a second limb retained at the starting station; by providinga method for using a gymnastic machine for muscle stretching that ischaracterized by including the step of stably positioning a second limbin a starting station; the step of associating a first limb with a slidecarried movable by a frame along a given direction from and to thestarting station; the step of actuating the slide with respect to thestarting station and the step of controlling, in use, a scissor movementof said first limb across said second limb; and by providing a methodfor training on a gymnastic machine for muscle stretching.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the gymnastic machine and ofthe method according to the present invention will be more apparent fromthe description below, set forth with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiment, inwhich, for the sake of convenience, identical or corresponding parts ofthe machine are identified by the same reference numbers.

The drawings show:

FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of agymnastic machine according to the present invention in a firstoperative position;

FIG. 2 a side elevation view, on an enlarged scale, of FIG. 1, with someparts removed for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a portion extracted from FIG. 1 on anenlarged scale and in a second operative position; and

FIG. 4 a side elevation view of a second preferred embodiment of themachine in FIG. 1 with some parts removed for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, number 1 indicates, in its entirety, a gymnastic machine forthe performance of muscle stretching exercises. This machine 1 comprisesa frame 10 supporting a support member 20 by means of a guide 21 soconstructed that the support member 20 is movable along a givendirection D from and to a starting station 30. It must be noted that thefollowing description is provided with reference to the lower limbs of auser. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the guide 21is provided with two longitudinal members 26 supported by a central beam11 on the frame 10, and that the support member 20 is carried by themembers 26 in a freely longitudinally sliding manner by means of theinterposition of a plurality of rollers 28 that hold bilaterally thesupport member 20 engaged on the guide 21. In view of the abovedescription, the support member 20 can be interpreted as a slide that,for sake of simplicity, will be indicated, in the following, by the samenumber 20.

With reference to the attached drawings, the starting station 30 isdesigned to house a first lower limb, which may be either one of a pairof limbs, and the slide 20 is shaped to provide support for the secondlower limb, so as to guide such second limb along the direction D andenable, in use, to control a scissor movement of the second limb inrelation to the first limb, which is retained in the starting station30. As shall be readily apparent hereafter, means are provided toprevent straining of the lower limb muscles and to make it safe toperform muscle stretching exercises.

Again with reference to FIG. 1, the station 30 comprises a unit 32designed to house stably the first limb, and it is provided with a rest12 carried rigidly by a central upright 17 forming part of the frame 10and comprising a cushion 14 for the upper part of the user's body. Ifnecessary, said rest 12 may comprise a handlebar 16, as shown in FIG. 1,wherein said handlebar is ring-shaped simply for reasons of practicalityand safety.

With reference to FIG. 1, and with particular reference to FIGS. 3 and4, the machine 1 comprises a controlling device, associated with theslide 20 and suitable for controlling, in use, the rotation of the limbcarried by the slide 20 with respect to the given direction D during theperformance of the scissor movement, as described in more detail lateron.

It must be noted that the unit 32, designed to house stably the firstlimb, is shaped so as to induce and maintain the flexion of such limb Inthis regard, the unit 32 comprises a retaining member 34, which can beselectively disengaged, for holding a joint of the first limb. Inparticular, said retaining member 34 comprises a cushion 36 for theposterior part of the leg of the first limb. This cushion 36 is hingedto the frame 10 around a substantially vertical axis 37 so that it isswitchable between a position of use, shown in FIG. 1, wherein it liestransverse to the direction D, and a neutral position, rotated throughabout 90° with respect to the first position. For the sake of clarity,when the cushion 36 occupies the respective position for use, itprovides support for the user's first lower limb and enables the user tokeep the limb flexed without effort, with the knee joint kept bent at anapproximately 90° angle. On the other hand, when the cushion 36 occupiesits respective neutral position, user wishing to perform the scissormovement must exert an adequate muscular effort to keep his/her firstlower limbs within the starting station 30 without the aid of auxiliarymeans.

With particular reference to FIG. 3, the slide 20 comprises a baseanterior portion 22 that is shaped in such a given way as to support atleast a portion of the second lower limb placed between the knee and thefoot. Furthermore, the slide 20 comprises a posterior portion 24 forresting the neck of the foot of said second limb. For the sake ofconvenience, here and on the following pages, said posterior portion 24may be mentioned using the expression tibial cushion 24. Furthermore,said anterior portion 22 is associated with a regulating unit 50suitable for varying the position of the portion with respect to theframe 10, and consequently for changing the angle of the leg of thesecond limb with respect to said frame 10. In particular, saidregulating unit 50 comprises a first regulating device 52 for adjustingthe starting position/the reference position of the portion 22/of thetibial cushion 24 with respect to the direction D/to the frame 10, and asecond regulating device 54 suitable for changing, in use, theinclination of the portion 22/of the tibial cushion 24 with respect tothe direction D/to the frame 10, and particularly around an axle 55integral with the slide 20, in relation to the current distance betweenthe slide 20 and the station 30.

The second regulating device 54 comprises a roller tappet 56 carried bythe slide 20 and a shaped member 58 delimited by a profile 59 that issuitable for controlling the rotation of the portion 22/of the tibialcushion 24 with respect to the direction D/to the frame 10. The weightof the user performing the exercise ensures that a rolling contact isconstantly maintained between the roller tappet 56 and the shaped member58, without any need to include a spring return component to guaranteethe proper operation of the second regulating device 54.

It must be noted that the profile 59 is shaped like a plane 59decreasing towards the starting station 30. The rotation of the tibialcushion 24 thus increases in a substantially linear fashion. However,where it is deemed advisable, it may be advantageous to shape theprofile 59 differently in order to impose different variations in theinclination of the portion 22/of the tibial cushion 24 with respect tothe frame 10/to the direction D as the slide moves from and to thestation 30.

Again with reference to FIG. 3, the first regulating device 52 comprisesa support member 53 for the roller tappet 56 that is adjustable in atleast two positions, to determine reference inclinations/startinginclinations of the portion 22/of the tibial cushion 24 with respect tothe given direction D/to the frame 10. In particular, the member 53comprises a lever 53 carried rotatable by the slide 20 with respect toan axle 51 parallel to the axle 55, and which can be locked in a givenposition by a locking device 501. In this regard, said locking device501 comprises a pin 503 snap fitted prismatic to a support 504 by meansof the thrust of a spring 505 contained inside a support member 504,which can be switched by a lever 509 connected to the pin 503 by meansof a connecting member 507. Said pin 503 faces a head 531 that iscarried by the lever 53 at opposite side with respect to the respectivewheel 532, in such a way as to engage a radial hole 533 from a pluralityof radial holes 533 provided in the head 531, each of which coincideswith a starting inclination of the portion 22/of the tibial cushion 24with respect to the direction D. In view of the above description, theregulating device 52 enables to define starting inclinations of thetibial cushion 24.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, the machine 1 comprises a brakingdevice 60 suitable for controlling the position of the slide 20 withrespect to the starting station 30 in order to prevent straining of themusculature of the lower limbs. The braking device 60 comprises anelongated member 62, which is rigidly connected to the slide 20 andcarried parallel to the given direction D between a pair of jaws 64, atleast one of which is movable transversally to the direction D againstthe force of a spring to switch the braking device 60 from a respectiveactive position to a respective inactive position, which permits theoperation of the slide 20 and its consequent displacement from and tothe station 30. It must be noted that the elongated member 62 comprisesa foil 62 wound in a ring around two transmission elements 68 carried bythe frame 10 at the ends of the elongated members 26; it must be alsonoted that the foil 62 is connected to the slide 20 by means of therespective ends; and that the said foil 62 is provided with a brakingbranch 63 positioned between the jaws 64 in order to be alternatelylocked in place or left free to move with respect to the jaws 64.

In this regard, the device 60 comprises a manually-operated member 66carried by the frame 10 for controlling the movement of at least one ofthe jaws 64 in relation to the other from and to a respective lockingposition, wherein the elongated member 62 is normally held locked by thepair of jaws 64 so as to prevent any movement of the slide 20 along thegiven direction D. This manually-operated member 66 comprises a lever 66hinged to the frame 10 and interfaced with the lower jaw 64 by means ofa lever 65, which can be actuated by means of a Bowden cable 67connected to the lever 66. Clearly, the presence of a spring 69 actingon the lower jaw 64 allows to define the normal locked situation of thefoil 62 and consequently also of the slide 20, and thus enables thesecond limb to perform scissor movement with respect to the first limbin safety because, when the lever 66 is released, the slide 20 is lockedin its respective current position.

Again with reference to FIG. 2, the machine 1 comprises a measuringdevice 70 for measuring the position of the slide 20 with respect to thestarting station 30; this device is suitable for providing informationabout the progress of the muscle stretching, able to give significantdata on the effectiveness of the training session, or series ofsuccessive training sessions.

The measuring device 70 is analogical and comprises a tape measure 78with a tape 781 presenting a graduated scale 782 and wound in a spiralinside a box 783. The tape 781 presents one end 785 connected to theslide 20 to enable a measurement of the latter's current position withrespect to the starting station 30. In this regard, the tape 781 iswound around a pair of pulleys 786 supported by the frame 10 to define agiven path between the rest 12 and the slide 20 so as to facilitate theuser's reading of the graduated scale 782 during the training session.It must be noted that the tape 781 is associated with a spring returncomponent, known and therefore not shown, inside the box 783, and thatthe tape 781 internally engages at least a portion of the upright 17,which serves as a safety casing. It must be noted that the employment ofa tape measure on a machine for muscle training is in itself new andoriginal, and enables a simple and cost-effective monitoring of theuser's muscle stretching progress. As it is well known, musclestretching exercises are all the more effective the longer the elongatedposition is maintained, and an indicator of the effectiveness of thetraining is represented by the time interval during which said positioncan be maintained. Therefore, the machine 1 has been provided with atimer device 80 of known type suitable for timing the duration of anexercise, or of the time interval during which the slide 20 is held in agiven position with respect to the starting station 30 by means of thejaws 64.

From the above description, it is clear that, providing the brakingdevice 60 has been disengaged, the slide 20 is free to move from and tothe station 30. Therefore, actuating the slide 20 along the respectiveguide 21, and the consequent performance of the scissor movement isreadily achievable simply by exploiting the gravity associated with theweight of the user performing the exercises, and particularly with thepart of the user's weight coming to bear on the second lower limb, i.e.the limb that comes to bear on the slide 20.

In addition, the training method that can be implemented on a machine 1as described above is easily understood from the above description andrequires no further explanation.

It is worth noting, however, that such method comprises the steps of:positioning stably a first limb in the starting station 30 situated infront of the user performing the exercise, with his/her knee bent andthe posterior portion of the first limb resting on the front portion ofthe cushion 36; resting the knee and the tibia of the second limb on thebase portion 22 of the slide 20, and the neck of the foot on the tibialcushion 24; actuating the slide 20 with respect to said starting station30; and controlling, in use, a scissor movement of said second limb bymeans of a braking device 60. It must be noted that the step ofactuating the slide 20 with respect to the starting station 30 and thestep of controlling, in use, the scissor movement of said second limb bymeans of the braking device 60 may take place simultaneously.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants can be made to thegymnastic machine 1 described and illustrated herein without howeverdeparting from the protective scope of the present invention.

For instance, as already explained with reference to the Italian PatentApplication No. RA2006A000009 by the applicant, it may be advisable tocontrol the movement of the slide 20 on the guide 21 by means of anactuating device, possibly operated on the basis of cycles programmed bya trainer to suit a given user's specific needs. This opportunity may beparticularly useful in the case of users particularly out of condition,or with little experience of performing physical exercises on their own.For the sake of practicality and given the analogy, reference should bemade to the corresponding part of the application '009, the teachings ofwhich are considered an integral part of the present application for thesake of brevity.

Moreover, according to a further embodiment represented in FIG. 4, themeasuring device 70 may be constructed using a device of the digitaltype. Said measuring device 70 comprises a transducer 71 provided with arigid reference element 72 integrally connected to the frame 10, andparticularly to the guide 21, and with a movable element 74 connecteddirectly or indirectly to the slide 20. Furthermore, the measuringdevice 70 comprises a calculating device 76 for calculating the relativeposition between the movable element 74 and the rigid element 72 inorder to generate data to indicate the instantaneous position of saidslide 20 with respect to the starting station 30. Said transducer 71could validly comprise an encoder that is indicated by the samereference number for the sake of convenience. In the case in point, theencoder 71 is of the linear type and the respective movable element 74comprises a magnetic band associated with the foil 62 and indicated,again for convenience, by the same number 74.

The calculating device 76 can be carried on board the slide 20, and socan the movable element 74, but it could also be carried by the frame 10in any other position, if arranged so as to exchange remote data withthe movable element 74.

Alternatively, the encoder 71 could be of the rotating type and beassociated with one of the transmission pulleys 68.

In view of the above description, the machine 1, described withreference to the accompanying drawings, punctually solves the technicalproblems set out above and its use is easy and safe even for users whoare inexperienced in muscle stretching, so that it is useful in theprevention of muscle pains in the lumbar region.

Though the present invention was shown and described with references tothe preferred embodiment, such is merely illustrative of the presentinvention and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof and variousmodifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilledin the art. It is therefore not intended that the present invention belimited to the disclosed embodiment or details thereof, and the presentinvention includes all variations and/or alternative embodiments withinthe spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

1. A gymnastic machine (1) comprising a frame (10), a slide (20) carriedmovable by said frame (10) along a given direction (D) from and to astarting station (30); characterised in that said slide (20) is suitablefor coupling with a first limb in such a way as to guide it along saidgiven direction (D) and to enable, in use, to control a scissor movementof the first limb with respect to a second limb retained at the startingstation (30).
 2. A machine according to claim 1, characterised in thatsaid first limb comprises a first lower limb and that said second limbcomprises a second lower limb distinguished from said first lower limb.3. A machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said startingstation (30) comprises housing means (32) for housing stably said secondlimb, and that said frame (10) comprises a rigid rest (12) associatedwith said starting station (30).
 4. A machine according to claim 1,characterised in that said slide comprises a support member (22) forsaid first limb; controlling means (50) for regulating the inclinationof said slide (20) being associated with said support member (22) so asto control, in use, the rotation of said first limb during said scissormovement.
 5. A machine according to claim 4, characterised in that saidcontrolling means (50) comprise regulating means (50) for adjusting theposition of said support member (22) with respect to said frame (10). 6.A machine according to claim 5, characterised in that said regulatingmeans (50) comprise a first regulating device (52) for adjusting thestarting position of said support member (22) with respect to said frame(10).
 7. A machine according to claim 4, characterised in that saidregulating means (50) comprise a second regulating device (54) suitablefor varying the inclination, in use, of said support member (22) withrespect to said frame (10) in relation to the current distance of saidslide (20) with respect to said starting station (30).
 8. A machineaccording to claim 7, characterised in that said second regulatingdevice (54) comprises a roller tappet (56) carried by said slide (20)and a shaped member (58) delimited by a profile (59) suitable forcontrolling the rotation of said support member (22) with respect tosaid frame (10).
 9. A machine according to claim 8, characterised inthat said profile (59) is shaped like a plane (59) decreasing towardssaid starting station (30).
 10. A machine according to claim 7,characterised in that said first regulating device (52) comprises asupport (53) for said roller tappet (56) that is adjustable in at leasttwo positions in order to determine reference inclinations/startinginclinations of said support member (22) with respect to said givendirection (D).
 11. A machine according to claim 3, characterised in thatsaid housing means (32) for said second limb are shaped so as to induceand maintain the flexion of the limb around said rest (12).
 12. Amachine according to claim 3, characterised in that said housing means(32) comprise a retaining member (34) that can be selectively disengagedfor holding a joint of said second limb.
 13. A machine according toclaim 12, characterised in that said retaining member (34) is carriedmovable by said frame (10) by means of a respective upright (17) so thatit can be selectively disengaged.
 14. A machine according to claim 12,characterised in that said retaining member (34) comprises at least afirst cushion (36) for the reference of said second limb.
 15. A machineaccording to any claim 4, characterised in that said support member (22)presents an anterior portion (22) shaped so as to provide support for aknee of said first limb and a posterior portion (24) comprising a tibialcushion (24), suitable for supporting the neck of the foot of said firstlimb.
 16. A machine according to claim 1, characterised by comprisingcontrolling means (50) for controlling the position of said slide (20)with respect to said starting station (30) in order to prevent anystraining of the musculature of the lower limbs.
 17. A machine accordingto claim 16, characterised in that said controlling means (50) forcontrolling the position of said slide (20) comprise a braking device(60) normally engaged and selectively switchable to be disengaged, andthereby enable, in use, the alternate locking and release of themovement of said slide (20) from and to said starting station (30). 18.A machine according to claim 17, characterised in that said brakingdevice (60) comprises an elongated member (62) rigidly connected to saidslide (20) and carried parallel to said given direction (D) between apair of jaws (64), at least one of which is movable transversally tosaid direction (D) against the force of a spring in order to inactivatesaid braking device and enable the actuation of said slide (20).
 19. Amachine according to claim 18, characterised in that said braking device(60) comprises a manually-operated member (66) carried by said frame(10) for controlling the movement of at least one of said jaws (64) fromand to a respective locking position wherein said elongated member (62)is firmly held by said pair of jaws (64) so as to prevent any movementof said slide (20) along said given direction (D).
 20. A machineaccording to claim 18, characterised in that said elongated member (62)comprises a foil (62) wound in a ring around two transmission elements(68) carried by said frame (10); said foil (62) being connected to saidslide (20) by means of respective ends and being provided with a brakingbranch (63) that engages a space delimited by said jaws (64) in order tobe alternately locked in place or left free to move with respect to saidjaws (64).
 21. A machine according to claim 1, characterised bycomprising measuring means (70) for measuring the position of said slide(20) with respect to the said starting station (30).
 22. A machineaccording to claim 21, characterised in that said measuring means (70)comprise a transducer (71) provided with a rigid reference element (72)integrally connected to the frame (10), and with a movable element (74)connected directly or indirectly to said slide (20), and with acalculating device (76) for calculating the relative position betweensaid movable element (74) and said rigid element (72) in order togenerate data to indicate the instantaneous position of said slide (20)with respect to said starting station (30).
 23. A machine according toclaim 22, characterised in that said movable element (74) is enabled toexchange remotely data with said calculating device (76).
 24. A machineaccording to claim 22, characterised in that said transducer (71)comprises an encoder (71).
 25. A machine according to claim 24,characterised in that said encoder (71) is of the linear type and thatsaid respective movable element (74) is associated with said foil (62).26. A machine according to claim 24, characterised in that at least oneof said transmission elements (68) comprises a pulley (68), that saidencoder (71) is of the rotating type and that said respective movableelement (74) is associated with said pulley (68).
 27. A machineaccording to claim 21, characterised in that said measuring means (70)comprise an analogical measuring device (78) connected to said slide(20) and calibrated so as to identify the current position of the slide(20) itself with respect to said starting station (30).
 28. A machineaccording to claim 27, characterised in that said measuring device (78)comprises a metal tape measure (78) provided with one end (79) connectedto said slide (20), which can be unwound against a spring returnmechanism and which is at least partially protected by a casing (17) forsafety reasons.
 29. A machine according to claim 28, characterised inthat said casing (17) is associated with said frame (10).
 30. A machineaccording to claim 29, characterised in that said tape measure (78)comprises a tape (781) provided with a graduated scale (782) wound in aspiral inside a box (783); said tape (781) being provided with one end(785) connected to said slide (20) to enable the latter's currentposition to be measured with respect to said starting station (30); saidtape (781) being wound around a plurality of pulleys (786) supported bysaid frame (10) in order to define a given path so as to facilitate theuser's reading of said graduated scale (782) during the trainingsession.
 31. A machine according to claim 17 characterised by comprisingtimer means (80) for timing the duration of an exercise or of the timeinterval during which said slide (20) is held locked with respect tosaid starting station (30) by means of said braking device (60).
 32. Amachine according to claims 4, characterised in that said rest (12)comprises a second cushion (14) for the upper part of the user's body.33. A machine according to claim 4, characterised in that said rest (12)comprises a handle (16) suitable for frontal gripping.
 34. A machineaccording to claim 1, characterised by comprising actuating means foractuating said slide (20) with respect to said starting station (30).35. A machine according to claim 34, characterised in that saidactuating means comprises, in use, the action of gravity on said firstlimb.
 36. A machine according to claim 1, characterised in that saidslide (20) is carried by a guide (21) of the rectilinear motion providedwith at least two elongated members (26); said slide (20) beingsupported bilaterally by means of the interposition of a plurality ofrollers (28).
 37. A training method, comprising the step of providing agymnastic machine (1) including a frame (10), a slide (20) carriedmovable by said frame (10) along a given direction (D) from and to astarting station (30); characterised in that said slide (20) is suitablefor coupling with a first limb in such a way as to guide it along saidgiven direction (D) and to enable, in use, to control a scissor movementof the first limb with respect to a second limb retained at the startingstation (30) described with reference to any one of the precedingclaims; the step of stably positioning a second limb in a startingstation (30); the step of associating a first limb with a slide (20)carried movable by a frame (10) along a given direction (D) from and tosaid starting station (30); the step of actuating said slide (20) withrespect to said starting station (30) and the step of controlling, inuse, a scissor movement of said first limb across said second limb. 38.A method according to claim 37, characterised in that said first andsecond limbs may be either one of a pair of limbs
 39. A method accordingto claim 37, characterised by comprising a step of resting (12) a regionof the body on a rest (12) carried by said frame at said startingstation (30).
 40. A method according to claim 37, characterised bycomprising the step of causing, in use, a rotation of said first limbduring said scissor movement; said step of causing a rotation of saidfirst limb being associated to the step of maintaining said second limbflexed in said starting station (30).
 41. A method according to claim39, characterised in that said step of maintaining said second limbsflexed in said starting station (30) comprises the step of retainingsaid second limb in said starting station (30) by means of a firstcushion (36) for resting a posterior portion of said second limb.
 42. Amethod according claim 37, characterised in that said first and secondlimbs comprise a respective first and second lower limbs of a user; saidslide (20) being shaped in such a manner as to be coupled with saidfirst lower limb.
 43. A method according to claim 42, characterised inthat said step of associating a first limb with said slide (20)comprises the step of resting the knee of said first limb on a baseportion of said slide (20) and the step of resting the respective neckof the foot on a tibial cushion (24) of said slide (20).
 44. A methodaccording to claim 43, characterised by comprising the step ofregulating the position of said tibial cushion (24) with respect to saidframe (10).
 45. A method according to claim 44, characterised in thatsaid step of regulating the position of said tibial cushion (24)comprises a first step of regulating the starting position of saidtibial cushion (24) with respect to said given direction (D) by means ofa first regulating device (52), and a second step of regulating, in use,the inclination of said tibial cushion (24) with respect to said framein relation to the distance of said slide (20) from said startingstation (30) by means of a second regulating device (54).
 46. A methodaccording to claim 45, characterised in that said second step ofregulating, in use, the inclination of said tibial cushion (24) withrespect to said frame comprises the step of rotating said tibial cushion(24) with respect to said given direction (D) by means of a rollertappet (56) carried by said slide (20) and a shaped element (58) with asloping plane carried by said frame (10).
 47. A method according toclaim 37, characterised in that the step of actuating said slide (20)with respect to said starting station (30) is associated with the stepof controlling, in use, the amplitude of said scissor movement of saidfirst limb across said second limb in order to prevent any straining ofthe musculature of the lower limbs.
 48. A method according to claim 47,characterised in that said step of controlling, in use, said scissormovement comprises the step of interacting with a braking device (60).49. A method according to claim 48, characterised in that said step ofinteracting with a braking device (60) comprises the step of acting bymeans of a pair of jaws (64) on a braking branch (63) of a foil (62)connected in a ring to said slide (20); at least one of said jaws (64)being movable transversally to said direction (D) against the force of aspring in order to inactivate said braking device (60).
 50. A methodaccording to claim 49, characterised in that said step of acting on thebraking branch (63) of said foil (62) is achievable manually.
 51. Amethod according to claims 37, characterised in that said step ofactuating said slide (20) with respect to said starting station (30)comprises the step of displacing said slide (20) exclusively by means ofthe gravity coming to bear on said slide (20).
 52. A method according toclaim 37, characterised by comprising the step of measuring the positionof said slide (20) with respect to said starting station (30) by meansof a measuring device (70).
 53. A method according to claim 52,characterised in that the step of measuring the position of said slide(20) with respect to said starting station (30) is achievable by meansof an analogical measuring device connected to said slide (20) andcalibrated so as to identify the current position of said slide (20)with respect to said starting station (30).
 54. A method according toclaim 52, characterised in that said step of measuring the position ofsaid slide (20) with respect to said starting station (30) is achievableby means of a digital measuring device connected to said slide (20) andcalibrated so as to identify the current position of said slide (20)with respect to said starting station (30).
 55. A method according toclaim 37, characterised in that said step of actuating said slide (20)with respect to said starting station (30) is associated with the stepof calculating the duration of an exercise, or of a time interval duringwhich said slide (20) is held in a stable position with respect to saidstarting station (30).
 56. A method according to claim 48, characterisedin that said actuating means comprises the action of gravity on the saidfirst limb.
 57. A tape measure for a gymnastic machine for musclestretching including a frame (10), a slide (20) carried movable by saidframe (10) along a given direction (D) from and to a starting station(30); characterised in that said slide (20) is suitable for couplingwith a first limb in such a way as to guide it along said givendirection (D) and to enable, in use, to control a scissor movement ofthe first limb with respect to a second limb retained at the startingstation (30), said tape measure (78) comprising a tape (781) providedwith a graduated scale (782) wound in a spiral inside a box (783); saidtape (781) being provided with one end (785) connected to said slide 20to enable the measurement of the latter's current position with respectto said starting station (30); said tape (781) being wound round aplurality of pulleys (786) supported by said frame (10) to define agiven path so as to facilitate the user's reading of said graduatedscale (782) during the training session.